The present invention relates generally to the field of backpacks and, more specifically, to a backpack having a compartment containing an integral garment which may be donned by the wearer of the backpack at will, without prior removal of the backpack from the body.
Ordinarily, the wearer of a backpack who encounters inclement weather must don a very large, cumbersome garment, such as a poncho, to cover both the wearer and the independent (unattached) backpack. Alternatively, the wearer must completely remove the backpack to put on a jacket and then place the backpack on the shoulders over the jacket, leaving the straps exposed to the weather. The latter arrangement can become quite uncomfortable as the garment becomes bunched or wrinkled between the body and the pack. Moreover, it may also require adjustment of the shoulder straps in order to permit the proper fit over the jacket.
Previous attempts to address this problem include U.S. Pat. No. 2,248,455, issued to Freund, which discloses a coat and a removable knapsack combination, whereby the knapsack can constitute a carrying case or bag for the coat when the latter is detached from the knapsack. The coat is provided with straps secured at the lower ends thereof on the inside of the coat. The straps have upper portions which pass through slits in the shoulders of the coat for retention of position. Outer free-end portions of the straps pass through loops positioned adjacent to side edges of the knapsack for fastening thereto and for adjustment to support the knapsack as desired by the wearer to relieve the coat at least in part of stress imposed by the weight of the knapsack. The coat can then be worn as a garment separate from the knapsack by disengagement of various stringers, fasteners and straps included in the arrangement.
An alternative convertible garment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,831 issued to Greenberger et al, wherein a pocket is provided on the back of a garment for carrying small items and for serving to store the folded garment when it is not being worn. The pocket or bag must be inverted for the garment to be removed therefrom and placed on the body of the person who chooses to wear it. The garment of the Greenberger patent has straps fastened into the side seams thereof and openings in the inside sleeve seam to enable the sleeve to be rolled up and tucked into the garment. The garment is then pushed through the back portion of the pocket as the openings of the pocket are pulled around the garment such that the pocket is turned inside out with the garment packed inside.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,777 to Park and earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,735 to MacLaughlin each describe combination backpack/jackets in which, when it is desired to wear the jacket, the pack is removed from the body and a flap closure is opened to remove a garment from inside a compartment of the backpack which is adjacent the wearer's back when the pack is being worn. After putting the garment on, the straps of the backpack are placed around the wearer's shoulders over the garment. The latter construction requires more bulk to be carried against the wearer's back when the garment is within the backpack and is inconvenient at best; and at worst, the garment may be altogether inaccessible, depending upon the conditions in which it is worn. Such construction is particularly difficult for small children who may have difficulty in removing a full pack and replacing it without assistance.
None of the known bag or pack and garment combinations teach a backpack having an integral garment and being constructed so that the backpack portion has the general outward appearance of an ordinary book bag or "day pack", and yet also has the garment portion stored therein in such a manner that it can be readily removed from its storage place and placed over the pack's straps and the wearer's body without prior removal of the pack by the wearer and without complete separation of the garment from the pack.
Accordingly, it is among the objects of the present invention to provide a backpack having an integral garment which is simply and quickly donned by the wearer of the backpack without requiring removal thereof from the user's body.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a backpack having the above features which is simple in construction and well adapted for mass production as well as being reliable in use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a backpack having the above features which is not bulky, but is comfortable to the wearer and in which the integral garment is securely attached to the backpack and does not bear the weight of the pack, for extended useful life of the entire combination.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a backpack of the character stated which is capable of being presented in any available color, with or without printed matter (such as, for example, a school logo or team insignia), in a variety of fabrics or other flexible, sheet-like materials, in at least several different overall shapes, and is provided with an integral garment chosen from a wide selection thereof.
In furtherance of these objects, the present invention is, briefly, a backpack having an integral garment which may be donned by the wearer of the backpack without removal thereof, the backpack has container portion including a front panel having a perimeter, a central panel having a continuous front edge and a continuous rear edge, and a rear panel having a perimeter. The central panel intersects and connects the front panel and the rear panel and forms therebetween top, first and second side and bottom external walls. The front panel further has a plurality of straps connected thereto for support of the backpack from the wearer's shoulders. The backpack is also adapted for releasably connecting the front panel along the perimeter thereof to the front edge of the central panel. A garment portion integrally connects to the container portion, and the backpack is adapted for storing the integrally connected garment portion in the container portion in such manner that the garment can be selectively donned by the wearer without removal of the container portion from the wearer's shoulders.
The invention is further, briefly, provided with an adaptation for storing the garment portion which is an openable tubular shaped storage compartment which extends continually internally along the inside of the central panel of the container portion for storage therein of the garment when not being worn.
The invention is yet further, briefly, adapted for selectively releasably connecting the front panel to the central panel, which adaptation is a zipper having first and second intermeshing tracks, the zipper being connected coextensively along the first track to the entire perimeter of the front panel, and being connected simultaneously and coextensively along the second track to the back of the garment portion and to the front edge of the central panel to thereby provide access to the storage compartment by the wearer for removal of the garment from the storage compartment and donning of the garment by the wearer without removal of the container portion from the wearer's shoulders.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinbelow.